Grounded Theory Designs

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Chapter 14

• Grounded Theory Designs

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Key Ideas

• Defining Grounded Theory
• When to use Grounded Theory
• Key characteristics of Grounded Theory research
• Conducting a grounded theory study
• Evaluating a grounded theory study

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What is grounded theory research?

• A grounded theory design is a systematic,
  qualitative procedure used to generate a theory
  that explains, at a broad conceptual level, a
  process, an action, or interaction about a
  substantive topic.

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When do you use grounded theory research?

• To generate a theory rather than use one off the
  shelf
• To explain a process, action, or interaction
• When you want a step-by-step, systematic
  procedure
• When you want to stay close to the data

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How did grounded theory develop?

• 1967 Glaser and Strauss book The Discovery of
  Grounded Theory
• 1990, 1998 Strauss and Corbin prescriptive form
  with predetermined categories and concerns about
  reliability and validity
• 2000 Charmaz introduces Constructivist method

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Types of grounded theory designs The systematic
design

• Open Coding properties and dimensionalized
  properties
• Axial Coding researcher selects one open coding
  category and places it at the center as the
  Central Phenomenon and then relates all other
  categories to it.
• Selective Coding writing a theory based on the
  interrelationship of the categories from axial
  coding

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Open Coding to the Axial Coding Paradigm
Open Coding Categories
Axial Coding Paradigm
Context
Category
Category
Causal Conditions
Core Category or Phenomenon
Category
Strategies
Consequences
Category
One open coding category as core phenomenon
Intervening Conditions
Category
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Types of grounded theory designs The emerging
design

• Grounded theory exists at the most abstract
  conceptual level rather than the least abstract
  level as found in visual data presentations such
  as a coding paradigm
• A theory is grounded in the data and not forced
  into categories
• Four essential criteria fit, work, relevance,
  modifiability

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Types of grounded theory designs A
constructivist design

• Philosophical position between positivist and
  post-modern researchers
• Theorist explains feelings of individuals as they
  experience a phenomenon or process
• Study mentions beliefs and values of the
  researcher and eschews predetermined categories
• Narrative is more explanatory, discursive, and
  probing the assumptions and meanings for the
  individuals in the study.

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Key characteristics of grounded theory designs

• A process approach
• Theoretical sampling
• Constant comparative data analysis
• A core category
• Theory generation
• Memos

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A process and categories within the flow of
research in Grounded Theory
The research problem leads to A study of a
central phenomenon in grounded theory
research questions That addresses a
process Which contains
- a sequence of activities
- including actions by people -
including interactions by people
Which a grounded theorist
begins to understand by developing
- categories -
relating categories -
developing a theory that explains
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Zig-zag approach to data collection and analysis
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Close to Saturated Categories
More Refined Categories
Third Interview
Toward Saturation of Categories
Refined Categories
Second Interview
First Interview
Preliminary Categories
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Constant comparison procedures in data analysis
Category II
Category I
Code B
Code C
Code A
Indicators
Raw Data (e.g. transcripts, field notes,
documents)
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Core category of ethnicity in a theory of ethnic
minority students process of community building

Ethnicity - Hispanic -Black Gender -male
-female Background - Economic Differences
-Diversity -Adapting to Change Sense of Self
Intervening Conditions
Peer Interactions
Community
Causal Condition
Phenomenon
Properties
Properties
- Nature of Interactions - Racial Differences -
Quantity of Friends - Intensity - Time to
Develop Friends
- Sense of Belonging - Source - Importance
Strategies
Withdrawal Passive, low risk Active
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Memoing

• Memos are notes the researcher writes throughout
  the research process to elaborate on ideas about
  the data and the coded categories. In memos, the
  researcher explores hunches, ideas, and thoughts,
  and then takes them apart, always searching for
  the broader explanations at work in the process.

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Conducting a grounded theory study

• Decide if grounded Theory design best addresses
  the research problem
• Identify a process to study
• Seek approval and access
• Conduct theoretical sampling
• Code the data
• Use selective coding and develop the theory
• Validate your theory
• Write a grounded theory research report

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Evaluating a grounded theory study

• Is there an obvious connection between the
  categories and the raw data?
• Is the theory useful as a conceptual explanation
  for the process being studied?
• Does the theory provide a relevant explanation of
  actual problems and a basic process?
• Can the theory be modified as conditions change
  or further data are gathered?

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Evaluating a grounded theory study

• Is a theoretical model developed or generated
  that conceptualizes a process, action, or
  interaction?
• Is there a central phenomenon (or core category)
  specified at the heart of the model?
• Does the model emerge through phases of coding?
  (e.g. initial codes to more theoretically
  oriented codes or open coding to axial coding to
  selective coding)
• Does the researcher attempt to interrelate
  categories?

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Evaluating a grounded theory study

• Does the researcher gather extensive data so as
  to develop a detailed conceptual theory as well
  saturated in the data?
• Does the study show how the researcher validated
  the evolving theory by comparing it to the data,
  examining how the theory supports or refutes
  existing theories in the literature, or checking
  theory with participants?